Business Applications Lead – Dach

Acuity Analytics (Acuity) is a leading provider of bespoke research, analytics and technology solutions to the financial services sector, including asset managers, corporate and investment banks, private equity and venture capital firms, hedge funds and consulting firms. Its global network of over 6,000 analysts and industry experts, combined with proprietary technology, supports more than 500 financial institutions and consulting companies to operate more efficiently and unlock their human capital, driving revenue higher and transforming operations. Acuity is headquartered in London and operates from 10 locations worldwide. The company fosters a diverse, equitable and inclusive work environment, nurturing talent, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation. Acuity was established as a separate business from Moody’s Corporation in 2019, following its acquisition by Equistone Partners Europe (Equistone). In January 2023, funds advised by global private equity firm Permira acquired a majority stake in the business from Equistone, which remains invested as a minority shareholder. Job Specification: Business Applications Lead – DACH Location: Germany (Flexible within DACH region) Business Unit: CIO Office Reports to: Head of Business Applications Role Type: Full-time, Permanent Language Requirement: German speaker with professional fluency in English 1. Role Overview Acuity Analytics is seeking a highly skilled Business Applications Lead to oversee, optimise, and expand the adoption of our enterprise business systems across the DACH region. This role will act as the regional functional and technical lead for a diverse application landscape including Oracle Fusion (Financials, HCM, EPM, OCI), Salesforce, Jira, Anaplan, Kyriba, and TMF Payroll. The ideal candidate will possess deep expertise in business applications, excellent stakeholder management capabilities, and strong fluency in German to partner with local business units, finance teams, HR, sales, and operations. This role is essential for supporting our post-merger integration activities in the region, ensuring system consistency, compliance, and performance across the Acuity Group. 2. Key Responsibilities A. Functional Leadership & Regional Ownership - Serve as the primary regional owner for the business application stack across DACH. - Act as the bridge between global technology teams and regional business stakeholders, ensuring local needs are understood and incorporated into the enterprise roadmap. - Ensure alignment with Acuity’s global Target Operating Model (TOM), governance standards, and integration strategies. B. Application Management & Support - Lead the delivery, optimisation, and continuous improvement of: - Oracle Fusion Cloud (Financials, HCM, EPM, OCI) - Salesforce (Sales Cloud / Service Cloud) - Atlassian Jira (Work management, workflows) - Kyriba (Treasury & cash management) - Anaplan (Forecasting, planning, budgeting) - TMF Payroll (regional payroll processes) - Establish robust application support processes in line with global standards (incident, change, problem management). - Ensure integrations and data flows with global systems remain secure, stable, and optimised. C. Business Partnering & Stakeholder Management - Work closely with regional Finance, HR, Sales, Operations, and Compliance teams to identify requirements and translate them into application solutions. - Represent DACH in cross-regional governance forums, design councils, and release management cycles. - Support local training, adoption, and process harmonisation efforts. D. Project Delivery & Transformation - Lead DACH-relevant projects such as process automation, system rollouts, enhancements, and data improvement initiatives. - Contribute to ongoing post-merger integration of Ascent into Acuity, ensuring seamless application convergence. - Support the CIO organisation with global transformation programmes in data, analytics, automation, and enterprise architecture. E. Compliance, Security & Risk - Ensure applications comply with DACH regulatory standards, including data protection (GDPR), local tax rules, and labour regulations. - Work with InfoSec and Risk to uphold access governance, segregation of duties, and business continuity requirements. - Maintain audit-ready documentation and adhere to global policies. 3. Required Skills & Experience A. Technical Expertise Must have hands-on and leadership experience with several of the following: - Oracle Fusion Cloud - Financials (GL, AP, AR, FA, CM) - HCM (Core HR, Absence, Talent, Performance) - EPM Cloud - OCI administration fundamentals (advantageous) - Salesforce CRM – configuration, workflows, reporting - Jira – workflow design, administration - Kyriba – treasury / cash management processes - Anaplan – planning models and governance - TMF Payroll – regional payroll process understanding B. Business & Functional Competence - Strong understanding of regional DACH finance, HR, payroll, sales operations and local compliance requirements. - Experience supporting multi-country organisations with complex matrix structures. - Experience in enterprise data flows, integrations (API, middleware), and process automation desirable. C. Professional & Soft Skills - Fluent in German and English. - Highly collaborative; capable of influencing senior business leaders. - Strong analytical and problem-solving skills. - Excellent communication skills—able to simplify complex topics for non-technical audiences. - Experience in M&A integration is a strong plus. 4. Qualifications - Bachelor’s degree in Information Systems, Computer Science, Business Administration, or related field. - Oracle / Salesforce / Anaplan certifications highly advantageous. - 7–12 years of experience in business applications, ERP/CRM/HCM management, or regional IT leadership roles. 5. Why Join Acuity Analytics? - Opportunity to play a key leadership role in the digital and operational transformation of a fast-growing global organisation. - Work directly with senior leaders, including the Global CIO organisation. - Great autonomy to shape regional systems and influence global standards. - Exposure to a world-class cloud technology stack across Finance, HR, Sales, and Analytics. - Dynamic culture with strong investment in enterprise technology and innovation. 6. Travel Requirements - Occasional travel within the DACH region and occasional international travel (10–20% estimated).